Webinars
PUBLIC RESOURCE
Our webinars provide support, information, and a forum for dancers, dance educators, researchers, and medical professionals. The programming includes panel discussions and videos on mental health, safe dance practice, and more.
View all of our public webinars here, including our Helping Dancers Help Themselves webinar series, our Medical Committee's webinar series, and select presentations and interviews from our conferences over the years.
Our COVID response webinar series, entitled Helping Dancers Help Themselves, is also available on the IADMS app. Here you can access the event feed to interact with fellow professionals around the world. The IADMS app is available in the Apple or Google Play store on your mobile device, or on your desktop.
"HELPING DANCERS HELP THEMSELVES" SERIES
IADMS is proud to present a series of webinars that have been produced in response to the outbreak of COVID-19. These public webinar series address mental health concerns, safe dance practice in isolation, and how to prepare for returning to the studio/class during the pandemic.
Part 1: How is COVID-19 Affecting Us
This webinar is the inaugural mental health session for professionals who work with performing artists and, in particular, professional and pre-professional dancers. for a half-hour webinar examining how the current COVID-19 pandemic is affecting performing artists, and how we can help ourselves and each other.
Note: this webinar is free and available to the public. After viewing this presentation, we invite you to share your thoughts and feedback on the IADMS app.
Part 2: Why am I Feeling This Way and What Can I Do?
Emotions, moods, affect, and feelings that we may experience during the current COVID-19 pandemic and from the pervasive disruptions to our lives are explored in the second mental health webinar. Join our panel to explore theory related to, and evidence-based practical strategies for, mental health and performing artists.
Note: this webinar is free and available to the public. After viewing this presentation, we invite you to share your thoughts and feedback on the IADMS app.
Part 3: Stress and Coping
This webinar explores stressors that dancers may experience in association with COVID-19. Our panelists will be discussing with the president of IADMS, Peter Lewton-Brain, how COVID-19 impacts dancers and how the body responds to stressful situations. Strategies for coping with stressful events are offered.
Note: this webinar is free and available to the public. After viewing this presentation, we invite you to share your thoughts and feedback on the IADMS app.
Part 4: To Sleep, Perchance to Dream, During COVID-19
This webinar covers key concepts about sleep and its influence on dancers’ health. Dreams, nightmares, and COVID-19 dreams are identified. Dancers are offered strategies to regulate sleep and manage nightmares.
Note: this webinar is free and available to the public. After viewing this presentation, we invite you to share your thoughts and feedback on the IADMS app.
Part 5: Sensitive and Resilient, Two Sides of The Same Coin
The webinar focuses on the reality that COVID 19 has situated our entire industry in a fragile state. Our panelists offer valuable insights on sensitivity and resilience in performing artists. A deeper understanding of resilience and how it influences sensitivity will be examined. Six strategies for enhancing resilience during challenging times are offered to dancers to add to their dance bag of coping resources.
Note: this webinar is free and available to the public. After viewing this presentation, we invite you to share your thoughts and feedback on the IADMS app.
Part 6: ReEntry - Navigating the New Normal with COVID-19
The coronavirus catapulted us into an unprecedented and uncertain way of life. We were expected to practice social distancing, endure disruptions in life and work, fear and anxiety, death, loss of income, and restricted movement. And now, we are faced with new territory to navigate — re-entering a world that is unexpectedly different. How do we leave the safety of our homes and move back to what we did before, or do we? Our expert panel explores how we can successfully navigate the transition to a new normal in the wake of COVID-19. In this webinar, our panelists discuss getting the mind and the body prepared for returning to activity.
Note: this webinar is free and available to the public. After viewing this presentation, we invite you to share your thoughts and feedback on the IADMS app.
Part 7: Psychosocial Changes: Navigating the New Normal with COVID-19
The coronavirus catapulted us into an unprecedented, uncertain, and unnerving way of life. We have experienced social isolation, physical distancing, life and work disruption, illness, fear and anxiety, death, loss of income, and loss of personal freedom and movement. And now, we are faced with an unfamiliar territory to navigate—re-entering a world that is different from the one we left. How do we leave the safety of our homes and move back to what we did before, or do we? Our expert panel explores how we can successfully navigate the transition to a new normal lifestyle in the wake of COVID-19 in the 7th webinar of the series on Performers Mental Health explores. In this webinar, panelists discuss, with host Bonnie Robson, about getting the mind and the body prepared for returning to activity.
Note: this webinar is free and available to the public. After viewing this presentation, we invite you to share your thoughts and feedback.
Part 8: Loss and Grief
Loss and grief are permeating daily life during these unprecedented times. Loss can be experienced whenever a major change transpires. The grieving process that follows is often more difficult as a result of COVID-19; many experts fear that this grieving process may be prolonged which may make bereavement even more difficult.
If you or someone you know is struggling and looking for help, please contact a local mental health professional or crisis hotline. Here is a link to resources available in the US or Canada: https://www.griefresourcenetwork.com/crisis-center/hotlines/
Note: this webinar is free and available to the public. After viewing this presentation, we invite you to share your thoughts and feedback.
Part 9: Depression: Dark Night of the Soul
Depression can be a transitory state provoked by unsettling situations; however, if it persists and compromises functioning and wellbeing, then it is considered a medical illness and requires professional treatment. A major life event might tip the balance and push some individuals into clinical depression. This webinar outlines symptoms of depression and offers suggestions on how to manage it.
North American Suicide Hotline - 800-273-8255
Websites for International Suicide Hotlines
https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines
http://www.suicide.org/international-suicide-hotlines.html
Mental Health Websites (with hotlines):
Safe Dance Practice in Quarantine: A Panel Conversation for Educators, with IADMS and SiDI Leaders
This live panel discussion with IADMS and Safe in Dance International leaders took place on Saturday, April 25, 2020, in the IADMS Science for Dance Educators Facebook group. Dance educators of any level and dancers (student, pre-professional, or professional) were invited to join, listen to the conversation, and share their questions with the panelists.
Note: this webinar is free and available to the public. After viewing this presentation, we invite you to share your thoughts and feedback on the IADMS app.
Conditioning for Dance during COVID-19: Strength, Power, Endurance, and Speed
This live stream panel discussion occurred on Saturday, May 9, 2020, in the IADMS Science for Dance Educators Facebook group. Dance educators of any level and dancers (student, pre-professional, or professional) were invited to join, listen to the conversation, and share their questions with the panelists.
Note: this webinar is free and available to the public. After viewing this presentation, we invite you to share your thoughts and feedback on the IADMS app.
Exploring the Scope of Dance Education During COVID-19
This panel will help you consider your new teaching practice through the lens of science. We will discuss the education of the dancing body and brain with ideas from neuroscience, improvisation, somatics, and more.
Note: this webinar is free and available to the public. After viewing this presentation, we invite you to share your thoughts and feedback on the IADMS app.
Dance for Health Interventions during a Global Pandemic... and Beyond
Dance for health educators brings the power of dance to a wide range of populations, all of whom face unique challenges in isolation. What's more, many of these students are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19, so while studios around the world cautiously begin to reopen, it is likely that many dance for health teachers will continue to work with their students in a virtual format. In order to support these important educators, this panel invites members of the IADMS Dance for Health Committee to discuss their work during this global pandemic and consider the future of their field.
Note: this webinar is free and available to the public. After viewing this presentation, we invite you to share your thoughts and feedback on the IADMS app.




Championing the Competitive Dancer: A Community Outreach Event
January 9, 2021
9:00am - 1:00pm PST (GMT-8)
FREE - Register Here
Experts from IADMS, Ballet Beyond Borders, and the Bridge Dance Project share their TOP 10's for developing strong, young competitive dancers in this co-hosted virtual, live community outreach event. This live-streamed, one-day event will provide positive healthy dance science tips and tools on how to be a “stronger” dancer/competitor/performer. We welcome the competitive dance community to attend this free event, including the dancers themselves and their parents, teachers, and coaches.
There is a growing concern in this community due to the alarming increases in acute and chronic injury rates in young competitive dancers (age 7 – 10), as well as mental health concerns regarding burnout and the pressures of exceeding expectations. Using a theme of TOP 10 TIPS in each session, we aim to inspire and provoke thought on training and performance considerations that can provide healthier outcomes for this community. Workshops include common injuries and how to avoid their causes, best practice conditioning for stronger technique, nutrition for best performance, and mental health performance training tools.
Leading up to the one-day event, free on-demand sessions will be posted from January 6-8th!
This event will be led by Astrid Sherman of the IADMS Dance Educators' Committee and Bridge Project LA, and Jan Dunn/Kaycee Cope Jones, Co-Founders, Co-Chairs of the Bridge Dance Project.
MEDICAL COMMITTEE WEBINARS
Through these webinars, the IADMS Medical Committee seeks to highlight dance-specific concerns around communication with medical providers. Case studies, integration with artistic staff, and the advantages of a medical team's support will be covered in these panels comprised of distinguished dancers/dance companies, leading physicians, and their medical teams.
Effective Communication with a Dancer
This seminar, entitled "Effective Communication with a Dancer" is designed to explore the way in which medical professionals, dancers, and artistic directors view injury and the ways in which they communicate during a clinical encounter. The seminar will show where there is overlap and where there are opportunities for improvement and will draw from a wealth of professional experience from the speakers.
Note: this webinar is free and available to the public. After viewing this presentation, we invite you to share your thoughts and feedback on the IADMS app.
Interdisciplinary Care of Dance Injury - Modern Dance
This panel highlights the importance of interdisciplinary communication and collaboration with dancer-centered care to optimize outcomes. Alongside medical experts from IADMS and special guests from the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS), is Madelyn Ho, a past Paul Taylor Dance Company member who speaks to her injury and care with a dance medicine team.
Note: this webinar is free and available to the public. After viewing this presentation, we invite you to share your thoughts and feedback on the IADMS app.




GUEST SPEAKER INTERVIEWS & PRESENTATIONS
View a selection of recorded presentations and interviews from past IADMS Annual Conferences here. For more, check out our Archives page.
Implementing Dance Science: A Panel Discussion
This panel discussion, from the IADMS 27th Annual Conference, held in Houston, Texas, USA, discusses the effective use of dance science in practice.
Tale of the Tallus Presentation & Dance Medicine Collaboration: A Discussion
This presentation, Tales of the Talus, is from the IADMS 27th Annual Conference, held in Houston, Texas, USA. Go behind the scenes with presenters in an exclusive post-presentation discussion, Dance Medicine Collaborations.
Biomimetic Surgical Implants Presentation & Interview
Watch Dr. Tasciotti's presentation and an exclusive interview on his research presented at the IADMS 27th Annual Conference, Houston, Texas, USA.
Interview with Susan Jaffe & Kathryn Morgan
A conversation with world-renowned dancers, Susan Jaffe and Kathryn Morgan about their experiences with injury, performance longevity, and how dance medicine and science have influenced their own professional and personal goals.
An Interview with Paula Baird Colt
An interview with Paul Baird Colt from the IADMS 27th Annual Conference, held in Houston, Texas, USA, on her research and experiences teaching dancers at The Australian Ballet and her thoughts for the continuation of dance medicine & science.
An Interview with Neeru Jayanthi
A post-presentation interview with guest speaker, Neeru Jayanthi, MD, from his presentation titled "Overuse Injuries and Specialization: What Can Dance Medicine and Science Learn from Sport?" Dr. Jayanthi's talk was presented at the Opening Ceremony of the IADMS 27th Annual Conference, held in Houston, Texas, USA.
An Interview with Selina Shah
Selina Shah, MD, shares her experiences in dance medicine as a member of the IADMS Board of Directors, Dance/USA Taskforce on Dancer Health, and head physician for the San Francisco Ballet School, touching on medical research, dance culture, and social media. This interview was recorded at the IADMS 27th Annual Conference, held in Houston, Texas, USA.